Dispenser package for cylindrical objects



1964 v. E. SLATTERY ETAL 3,155,275

DISPENSER PACKAGE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Sept. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /gj v 1 7 3 [2A0 l4b Il /6 2/0 26' 2 INVENTORS VERNON E SLATTERY [3 JAMES W HALL Eli? I'M/ 1 5M? Y, M/ E R 8 5 M80 BY g 7% a ATTORNE Nov. 3, 1964 v. E. SLATTERY ETAL 3,155,275

DISPENSER PACKAGE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Sept. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

BY MAHONE MIL United States Patent 3,155,275 DISPENSER PACKAGE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Vernon E. Slattery, 3291 Dresden St., Columbus, Ohio,

and James W. Hall, 4932 Sharon Hill Drive, Worthington, Ohio Filed Sept. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 312,537 4 Claims. (Cl. 221289) Our invention relates to a dispenser package for cylindrical objects. It has to do, more particularly, with a container in which the cylindrical objects are packaged for sale and from which they may be dispensed for use. The dispenser package is particularly suitable for the packaging and dispensing of cigarettes but it is capable of many other uses. However, as a specific example of objects which can be packaged and dispensed according to our invention, we will refer to cigarettes.

According to our invention the package is so designed and made that it will receive and contain a number of cigarettes, for example, the usual number provided in the standard cigarette package. Furthermore, the package is of such a nature that it may be loaded with the cigarettes substantially as easily as the standard package. The package is provided with a discharge slot through which the cigarettes are to be discharged successively individually. In the interior of the package, we provide movable dispensing means for controlling the movement of the successive cigarettes to and through the discharge slot. This dispensing means is operated merely by squeezing the sides of the package.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a dispenser package embodying our invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing the dispensing means of the package in non-dispensing position.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view showing the discharge slot in the package and a cigarette emerging therefrom.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view illustrating the dispensing means of the package in dispensing position.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a main blank of material which is preferably used in forming the package.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a secondary blank of material used in connection with the blank of FIGURE 5 to form the package.

With reference to the drawings, the package or box 10 is made in the shape of the usual cigarette pack and of substantially the same size. It can be made of paper or cardboard stock of suitable thicknesses or of other suitable relatively flexible and resilient materials such as plastic, wood, metal, etc. It is preferred that it be the container in which the cigarettes are packaged for marketing and from which they are subsequently dispensed, the container then being discarded, although it could merely be a dispensing container which is repeatedly loaded with cigarettes for dispensing. The pack or box will have the usual appearance except that at one of the side edges thereof it will have a discharge or dispensing slot 11 extending the full length thereof. In the dispensing operation, the side edge of the box which has the slot 11 therein will be located lowermost so that cigarettes will be discharged therefrom by gravity under control of the dispensing means or mechanism located within the box.

The dispensing control means comprises mainly a fixed shelf bar 12, an associated cooperating movable stop bar 13, and a fixed inclined feeder guide 30 for feeding the cigarettes toward the shelf bar 12.

The fixed shelf bar 12 is of hollow square cross-section and is located at one lower corner of the box along one Patented Nov. 3, 1964 side of the discharge slot 11. It provides a horizontal shelf surface or ledge 12a spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the side or lowermost surface of the box and a vertically disposed inner surface 14 at the one edge of the slot 11. The movable stop bar 13 is of similar cross-section and size to the bar 12 and is normally disposed in stopping position as shown in FIGURE 2. It provides an inner horizontal wall 15 and an associated vertical wall 16. It will be noted (FIGURE 2) that the wall 15 of the movable stop bar 13 is normally disposed inwardly of or at a higher level than the fixed shelf bar 12. Also, it will be noted that the wall 16 of the stop bar 13 is at the side of the slot 11 opposite to the side where the wall 14 of the shelf bar 12 is disposed and is in spaced parallel relationship thereto. However, this space is of less width than the diameter of the cigarettes being dispensed so that the lowermost cigarette will not normally drop through this space and the slot 11. Normally, this cigarette will be stopped by engagement with the inner corner 17 of the bar 13 and the cooperating inner corner 18 of the bar 12.

The bar 13 is mounted on a movable flap or panel 20. This panel or flap 20 forms one face wall of the box extending between the side edge wall 21 of the box opposite to the edge where the slot 11 is located. The flap 20 is hinged at the upper corner 22 where it joins the panel or wall 21 and extends downwardly almost to the fixed shelf bar 12 being normally in the same plane as the outer wall 23 thereof. This flap 20 is provided with an upturned reinforcing flange 24 which is turned inwardly and upwardly into contact with the inner surface of the flap so as to provide a double thickness of material at the lower end of the hinged flap 20 where pressure is applied to bring about the dispensing operation. The hinged flap 20 at its opposed ends carries the inwardly extending flanges or panels 25. These panels or flanges are disposed at right angles to the flap 20 and are inwardly of and closely adjacent the end panels 26 of the box. The main areas of these flanges 25 terminate at the level of the turned lip 27 on the lower end of the hinged flap 20 but are provided at their inner edges with the depending tabs 28 which carry the stop bar 13 for movement with the flap 20. It will be noted (FIGURE 2) that the top edge 29 of each flange 25 is adjacent the upper wall 21 of the box and will be forced into engagement therewith by inward movement of the flap 20 inwardly but there is suflicient resilience in the material to permit this and this will build up sutficient elasticity which will return the flap 20, when pressure is released, to its normal position (FIGURE 2) in the same plane as the wall 23 of the shelf bar 12.

The fixed inclined feeder guide 30 is carried by the face panel or wall 31 of the box which is opposite the hinged flap 20. It is formed as a separate piece from the rest of the box and is suitably attached thereto as by gluing. It comprises the upper inwardly and downwardly extending guide wall 32 and the lower supporting wall 33 which converge at a lip 34 that is parallel with and spaced above the inner and upper corner lip 18 of the shelf bar 12, it, being noted that the lip 34 is substantially over the normal position of the corner 17 of the movable stop bar 13, offset relative to the corner 18. The distance between the lip 34 and the lip 18 is just slightly greater than the diameter of a cigarette. The wall 32 joins to the attaching flange 35 and the wall 33 joins to the attaching flange 36 which are disposed in flat contact with the inner surface of the box wall 31 to which they are suitably attached as indicated.

The lower wall of the box which is opposite the wall 21 includes the fixed shelf bar 12 and an inwardly extending flange 21a attached to the opposite wall 31. In the use of this dispenser box, assuming there are a number of cigarettes therein and the box is disposed as indicated in FIGURE 2 with its slotted wall lowermost, the cigarettes will tend to feed downwardly over the inclined wall 32 as indicated and between the end walls 26, the axes of the cigarettes being disposed at right angles to such walls. The lowermost cigarette will be located between the lips 34 and 18 and in contact with the corner 17 of the movable stop bar 13. Thus, the cigarette at this time will be retained on the shelf bar 12 at the inner extremity of the shelf surface 12a. However, to feed this cigarette off the shelf, it is merely necessary to push inwardly on the lower extremity of the hinged flap 20. This will cause the lip 27 to sweep over the shelf surface 12a and also simultaneously cause the stop bar 13 to move away from the shelf bar 12, as indicated in FIGURE 4. This moves the vertical surfaces 14 and 16 apart to, in effect, widen the discharge or dispensing slot 11 and permit the lowermost cigarette to drop by gravity through the slot. Also, the inner surface of the hinged flap 20 also moves close to the lip 34 of the feeder guide 30 to prevent downward feed of any of the other cigarettes. Preferably, the stop bar 13 contacts the vertical flange 36 on the wall 31 before the flap 20 contacts the feeder guide 30, as shown in FIGURE 4. As soon as pressure is released, the flap 20 will swing back to the position shown in FIGURE 2 and another cigarette can move down onto the shelf bar 12 where it will be stopped by the stop bar 13.

Thus, it will be evident from FIGURE 2 that the box turned on edge as indicated provides an article hopper with a converging bottom where there is a mouth located that is controlled by movable dispensing means. This means, when moved, serves to receive the support for the lowermost article to permit it to drop and simultaneously to provide a support for the article next above to prevent further feed of the articles. Return movement of the dispensing means will again provide the support for the lowermost cigarette in position ready to be dispensed.

In FIGURES and 6, we have illustrated blanks of material suitable for forming the box. In these figures, the broken lines indicate score lines or fold lines whereas the solid lines indicate where the blank is slit or cut. In the main blank shown in FIGURE 5, the parts or walls of the box previously mentioned are indicated by the same nu merals. In addition to the end panels 26, the end walls of the box include the flaps 26:: which are folded over in overlapping relationship on the exterior of the end panels 26, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 3. The fixed shelf bar 12 is formed from the folded blank strips 14, 14a, 23, 12a and 14b indicated in FIGURE 5, the strips 14 and 14b being secured in overlapping contact as by gluing. The movable stop bar 13 which is carried by the hinged panel 20 is formed from the folded blank strips 13a, 13b, 16, 15, and 130 indicated in FIGURE 5. The strip 13a is attached to one of the tabs 28. A hinged tab 28a projects inwardly from the tab 28 and a hinged tab 2812 projects outwardly from that tab 28 at a right angle to the tab 28a, it being noted that tab 28b is provided with a tapered or angled corner at 28c. Similarly, the opposite tab 28 is provided with two hinged tabs 28d and 28e disposed at a right angle to each other. The stop bar 13 is thus formed by folding the strips 13a, 13b, 16, 15 and 13c into square cross-section with the strips 13a and 130 in overlapping relationship and these overlapping parts being glued. Also the tabs 28a and 2812 are folded within the adjacent end of the hollow stop bar and glued in place.

The blank for the feeder guide 30 is made of the walls 32 and 33 and the flanges 35 and 36 hinged together along the fold lines indicated in FIGURE 6.

Thus, it will be apparent that the box can be formed from blanks of material in a simple manner without excessive waste.

It will be apparent that this invention provides a dispenser box which can be produced at a low cost. It can also be loaded easily with the articles to be dispensed.

When loaded it can be actuated by a slight pressure of the fingers to cause the articles to feed successively from the box. However, the articles will not accidentally feed from the box.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A dispensing container for dispensing elongated cylindrical objects comprising a hollow body of substantially rectangular cross-section having spaced upright walls which are normally in parallel relationship, one of said walls being hinged at its upper edge for movement toward the other wall which is fixed, and having a lower free edge, said fixed wall carrying a feeder guide which inclines downwardly toward the free edge of the hinged wall but being spaced therefrom to provide an article discharge throat, a fixed shelf below said throat for supporting the lowermost article which will roll down said feeder guide into said throat, a stop normally in association with said shelf to prevent the supported article from moving oif said shelf, said stop being connected to the hinged wall for movement therewith, movement of the hinged wall toward the fixed wall moving the stop from said shelf to permit the lowermost article to be moved oif said shelf by the lower edge of said hinged flap and moving the wall toward said inclined feeder guide to narrow the space therebetween to prevent further feed of articles to said throat.

2. A dispensing container according to claim 1 in which the hinged wall and the inclined feeder guide form the throat which opens downwardly, said shelf being located directly below the throat, said inclined feeder guide having a lower lip spaced from the shelf a distance greater than the diameter of the articles to be dispensed to provide a discharge space therebetween, said movable stop having a stop lip located intermediate in the space between said lower lip and said shelf to engage an article tending to move off said shelf through said discharge space.

3. A dispensing container according to claim 2 in which a discharge slot formed by the space between said shelf and said movable stop when said movable stop is in its normal position, said slot normally being of less width than the diameter of the object but being increased in width to an extent greater than said diameter upon movement of said stop by movement of said hinged wall.

4. A dispensing container for dispensing elongated substantially cylindrical objects comprising a hollow body having upright walls which are normally in spaced relationship; said walls being relatively movable toward each other, one of said walls carrying a feeder guide which inclines downwardly toward the other wall, said guide having a free end which is normally spaced from the other wall to provide an article discharge throat, a shelf below said throat for engaging the lowermost article which will roll down said feeder guide into said throat, a stop normally positioned adjacent said shelf to prevent the engaged article from moving off said shelf, said shelf and said stop each being connected to one of said relatively movable walls so that relative movement thereof moves said shelf and said stop relatively apart to permit the lowermost article to move off said shelf, relative movement of said walls also moving the inclined feeder guide toward the other wall to narrow the space therebetween to prevent further feed of articles to said throat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France May 4, 1945 

4. A DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY HAVING UPRIGHT WALLS WHICH ARE NORMALLY IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP; SAID WALLS BEING RELATIVELY MOVABLE TOWARD EACH OTHER, ONE OF SAID WALLS CARRYING A FEEDER GUIDE WHICH INCLINES DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE OTHER WALL, SAID GUIDE HAVING A FREE END WHICH IS NORMALLY SPACED FROM THE OTHER WALL TO PROVIDE AN ARTICLE DISCHARGE THROAT, A SHELF BELOW SAID THROAT FOR ENGAGING THE LOWERMOST ARTICLE WHICH WILL ROLL DOWN SAID FEEDER GUIDE INTO SAID THROAT, A STOP NORMALLY POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID SHELF TO PREVENT THE ENGAGED ARTICLE FROM MOVING OFF SAID SHELF, SAID SHELF AND 